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Teaching with Ellii

Discover what's new or coming soon, including upcoming lessons and resources and product feature updates. 

Announcements

Are you teaching US history and government and&nbsp;preparing students for the 2025 Naturalization Civics Test? You are changing lives, and Ellii wants to help!

<blockquote>
Yes! Ellii is developing test prep materials for the 2025 Naturalization Civics Test.
</blockquote>

We began working on new content as soon as the notice went out about the new test (Sep&nbsp;18, 2025). If your students are preparing for the naturalization test, you&nbsp;can expect plenty of new content on Ellii in the next few months. We&#39;ll be updating this post as new content is available.&nbsp;

<h3>What has changed with the 2025 Naturalization Civics Test?&nbsp;</h3>

<ul>
	<li>If applicants applied before or within 30 days of the notice (Sep&nbsp;18, 2025), they take the 2008 test.</li>
	<li>If applicants&nbsp;applied 30 days or more after this notice (Sep&nbsp;18, 2025), they take the 2025 test.</li>
	<li>On the new (2025) test, the&nbsp;USCIS officer will ask applicants to answer up to 20 out of&nbsp;128 civics test questions&nbsp;to prove their&nbsp;knowledge of&nbsp;US&nbsp;history and government.</li>
	<li>USCIS officers will&nbsp;stop&nbsp;after the&nbsp;applicant answers&nbsp;12 questions correctly OR misses 9 questions.</li>
</ul>

Note: Scroll down for useful external links to resources regarding these updates.&nbsp;

<h2>Ellii&#39;s Media Gallery</h2>

Ellii&#39;s&nbsp;new <a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/us-civics-test-prep" target="_blank">US Civics &amp; Test Prep</a> videos build history and government knowledge while offering practical test-taking tips. Choose from short, digestible clips or full-length video lessons with chapter divisions.&nbsp;

<a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/us-civics-test-prep/colonial-period-independence" target="_blank"><img alt="US Civics Test Prep videos" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5010/content_Civics-Video-Colonial-Period-and-Independence_OG-play.png" /></a>

The first 18 <a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/us-civics-test-prep" rel="noopener" target="_blank">US Civics &amp; Test Prep videos</a> are available now!&nbsp;

<a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/us-civics-test-prep/the-1800s" target="_blank"><img alt="https://ellii.com/media/videos/us-civics-test-prep/the-1800s" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5011/content_Civics-Video-1800s_OG-play.png" /></a>

Videos include a real teacher from Ellii, real&nbsp;photographs, useful drawings, and real questions and possible answers from the test.

<a href="https://ellii.com/video/recent-american-history" target="_blank"><img alt="Recent US History video " src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5055/content_Screen_Shot_2025-11-19_at_3.11.32_PM.png" /></a>

More videos are coming soon.&nbsp;

<h2>Ellii&#39;s Study Packs</h2>

Ellii Study Packs allow you to assign your students bundled content easily with one click. Visit our <a href="https://ellii.com/packs/?category=45&amp;page=1" target="_blank">US Civics</a> category in Courses &amp; Packs&nbsp;and watch this content&nbsp;grow. 
 
If you and your students like Ellii&#39;s test prep videos, you&#39;ll love the NEW study packs. Each video lesson comes with practice tasks, including vocabulary review, comprehension, and speaking practice. In our first release, <a href="https://ellii.com/packs/colonial-period-independence/materials" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Colonial Period &amp; Independence</a>, students practice questions 73&ndash;89 of the civics test.

<a href="https://ellii.com/packs/colonial-period-independence/materials" target="_blank"><img alt="Colonial Period &amp; Independence Study Pack on Ellii " src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5012/content_US-Civics-Test-Prep-Colonial-Period-and-Independence_OG.png" /></a>

This follow-up pack on <a href="https://ellii.com/packs/the-1800s/materials" target="_blank">The 1800s</a>&nbsp;features video lessons and practice about western expansion and the Civil War. Students practice questions 90&ndash;99 of the civics test. Expand your students&#39;&nbsp;knowledge with related lessons from our library, such as lessons on historic figures from this period, including <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3185-harriet-tubman" target="_blank">Harriet Tubman</a>, <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3473-frederick-douglass" target="_blank">Frederick Douglass</a>, and <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2881-susan-b-anthony" target="_blank">Susan B. Anthony</a>.

<a href="https://ellii.com/packs/the-1800s/materials" target="_blank"><img alt="The 1800s US Civics Test Prep Study Pack on Ellii " src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5013/content_US-Civics-1800s_OG.png" /></a>

The third&nbsp;pack features video lessons and practice about conflict and change in <a href="https://ellii.com/packs/recent-american-history/materials" target="_blank">Recent US History</a> (the 1900s and early 2000s). Students practice questions 100&ndash;118&nbsp;of the civics test. Expand your students&#39;&nbsp;knowledge with related lessons from our library, such as lessons on historic figures from this period, including <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1535-franklin-d-roosevelt" target="_blank">Franklin Roosevelt</a>, the <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2856-the-vietnam-war" target="_blank">Vietnam War,</a> and <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1466-september-11th" target="_blank">September 11th</a>.

<a href="https://ellii.com/packs/recent-american-history/materials" target="_blank"><img alt="Recent US History US Civics Test Prep Study Pack: The 1900s and early 2000s" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5054/content_US-Civics-Recent-US-History_OG.png" /></a>

You can also send content individually to just the students who are studying for the test&nbsp;(NEW feature).

<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/introducing-individual-student-assignments" target="_blank"><img alt="individual assignments on Ellii " src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5014/content_Screen_Shot_2025-11-14_at_11.12.24_AM.png" /></a>

We have six more packs in the works&nbsp;and will be releasing the videos and lessons as they are ready!

<h2>Ellii&#39;s Collections</h2>

<h3><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/us-civics" target="_blank">US Citizenship &amp; Naturalization</a></h3>

This collection category offers six ready-made collections of EL Civics content focusing on US law, government, history, and culture. This content will help prepare ELLs for life and citizenship in the United States.&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lessons/american-presidents" target="_blank">American Presidents&nbsp;</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/us-civics/american-institutions" target="_blank">American Institutions</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/us-civics/american-trailblazers" target="_blank">American Trailblazers</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/us-civics/american-holidays" target="_blank">American Holidays</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/us-civics/us-history" target="_blank">American History</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/us-civics/us-landmarks" target="_blank">American Landmarks</a></li>
</ul>

<h3><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/el-civics" target="_blank">EL Civics</a></h3>

This collection category features curated content for pre-approved civics objectives (COAAPs) selected by California agencies supporting adult ed. Search for content that is specifically related to the needs assessment of your students and use this content toward&nbsp;the 30 hours of instruction your learners need before doing related assessments.

<h3><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/nations-regions/americana" target="_blank">The United States</a></h3>

Our content library is full of lessons about American facts, figures, and firsts. This collection highlights some of our most popular lesson content related to the US, including presidents, famous people, and holidays.

<h2>Popular Ellii Lessons</h2>

Use the Search field on Ellii to find lessons on topics you are covering, and reach out to us if you can&#39;t find what you&#39;re looking for. Here are some popular US civics lessons:

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/5757-us-immigration-rights" target="_blank">US Immigration Rights</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2277-american-citizenship" target="_blank">American Citizenship</a> (in editing)</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3836-n-400-vocabulary" target="_blank">N-400 Vocabulary</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2676-the-united-states" target="_blank">The United States </a>(Listening in English)</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2263-map-of-the-us" target="_blank">Map of the US</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1505-george-washington" target="_blank">George Washington</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2779-trail-of-tears" target="_blank">The Trail of Tears</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3172-the-us-constitution" target="_blank">The US Constitution</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/5636-the-bill-of-rights" target="_blank">The Bill of Rights</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4037-the-declaration-of-independence" target="_blank">The Declaration of Independence</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2764-the-supreme-court-us" target="_blank">The Supreme Court</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3381-election-day-us" target="_blank">Election Day</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/video/republicans-democrats" target="_blank">Republicans Vs. Democrats</a> (explainer video)</li>
</ul>

<h3>Coming Soon on Ellii&nbsp;</h3>

<ul>
	<li>30 + more videos</li>
	<li>Six + US Test Prep Study Packs</li>
	<li>NEW comprehensive civics&nbsp;lessons focused on US History &amp; Government&nbsp;</li>
	<li>US Test Prep Speaking Practice Tests</li>
</ul>

<h3>Useful External Resources for 2025 Updates</h3>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/09/18/2025-18050/notice-of-implementation-of-2025-naturalization-civics-test" target="_blank">Notice of Implementation of 2025 Naturalization Civics Test </a>(09.18.2025)</li>
	<li><a href="https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/brochures/USCIS-2025-Civics-Test-Study-Guide.pdf" target="_blank">One Nation, One People Study Guide (2025)</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.dailysignal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/2025-Civics-Test-128-Questions-and-Answers-09.15.2025.pdf" target="_blank">128 Civics Questions (2025)</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/find-study-materials-and-resources/check-for-test-updates" target="_blank">USCIS Comparison of 2008 / 2025 Test</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/5n2h5rdfojhykxegok15a/Natz_Test_Comparison_A_2008-2025.pdf?rlkey=47rpmtohvcrqazh1uf17h8o7k&amp;e=1&amp;st=r1lxr88r&amp;dl=0" target="_blank">Bill Bliss&#39;s Comparison chart of 2008 / 2025 Test</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship" target="_blank">USCIS Citizenship Resource Center</a></li>
</ul>

2025 US Naturalization Civics Test Prep Now on Ellii

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Tour around the ELT conference circuit as our team shares conference highlights and session reviews.

Conferences

TESL Toronto&#39;s TOSCON 2023 was not just an event&mdash;it was also a celebration of the dedication and passion that teachers bring to their classrooms every day. For me, it was a reminder that, as educators, we have the ability to shape the lives of our students and&nbsp;empower them to develop their own voices within their communities as they learn to communicate effectively.

<h1>Plenary speaker: Antoinette Gagn&eacute;</h1>

The conference&nbsp;highlighted the evolving nature of English language teaching. Antoinette Gagn&eacute;&#39;s keynote address shed light on the sociocultural, emotional, multilingual, multimodal, and technological turns that are shaping the English language learning landscape in Canada.

It reminded us that effective teaching goes beyond linguistic skills, encompassing cultural understanding, emotional intelligence, and the integration of various modes of communication. What I loved most about her plenary session was the opportunity to interact and connect with other participants&nbsp;as well as her capacity to ask thought-provoking questions of her audience.

Gagn&eacute; highlighted the &ldquo;affective turn&rdquo; that underscores the importance of emotional intelligence in education.

<img alt="strategies and practices for implementing the affective turn" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3234/content_IMG-3650__1_.jpg" />

<h1>Connecting at Ellii&#39;s booth</h1>

As a representative of Ellii, I was inspired by the enthusiasm of teachers as they shared their experiences and the innovative ways they are implementing our platform. The updates in the <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/introducing-elliis-lesson-planner">Lesson Planner</a> and <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/feature-releases-platform-updates-2023">student onboarding</a> process have generated excitement and opened up new possibilities for enhanced language instruction.

The nature of education and learning is evolving, and it&rsquo;s refreshing to see the willingness of educators to embrace technology and find ways to use it to meet the needs of their students.

<img alt="Ellii Booth TOSCON 2023" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3233/content_TOSCON_2023.jpeg" />

<h1>Workshops &amp; presentations&nbsp;</h1>

The workshops and presentations offered at TOSCON provided a fantastic selection of practical strategies and ideas for educators to implement in their classrooms. From rethinking digital citizenship techniques (John Allan) to the integration of authentic materials, from blended to hyflex teaching (Tehreem Nathaniel), each session offered valuable insights that could be immediately applied to improve the learning experiences of students. The diverse range of topics ensured that attendees could find sessions that catered to their specific interests and professional development goals.

Beyond the knowledge gained and skills acquired, TOSCON fostered a sense of community and collaboration. The connections made and conversations we had during the conference were invaluable.&nbsp;

<h1>Getting noticed in TO</h1>

On a lighter note, I couldn&#39;t help but chuckle at a rather unexpected experience during my time in Toronto. As I strolled through the bustling streets of the city, proudly sporting my Ellii T-shirt, something amusing happened. I was recognized by a random teacher (who hadn&rsquo;t been at the conference). She spotted the logo on my shirt and exclaimed, &quot;Hey, you&#39;re from Ellii!&quot; For a brief moment, I felt like a celebrity, basking in the limelight of the English language teaching world. Who knew that a simple T-shirt could turn an ordinary stroll down Yonge Street into a moment of fame?

<h1>Final thoughts</h1>

As I left the conference, I carried with me a renewed sense of purpose and a deep appreciation for the transformative power of education. TOSCON reminded me that as English language teachers, we have the privilege of not only teaching a language but also empowering individuals to express themselves, connect with others, and succeed in an increasingly globalized world.

Reconnecting at TOSCON

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Stay up-to-date with ELT trends and ideas with articles from experts and teachers in the field.

Articles

Universal Design for Learning&nbsp;(UDL) is an educational framework created to make learning inclusive and accessible for everyone. It appreciates that every learner is different and, therefore, has unique learning needs, interests, and goals.&nbsp;

In any English language classroom, learners may have diverse abilities, beliefs, experiences, backgrounds, and languages. UDL celebrates the diversity of students and aims to provide the right learning experience for everyone, regardless of age, (dis)ability, gender, race, religion, or sexual orientation.&nbsp;

To do this, UDL aims to minimize barriers to learning so that every individual learner can have the best learning experience possible.&nbsp;

There are three principles to UDL:&nbsp;

<h2>1. Provide multiple means of representation</h2>

Barriers to learning can be reduced or removed by providing information and learning experiences in different ways.&nbsp;

For example, learners with vision impairments can benefit from audio support tools, such as Ellii&rsquo;s <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/how-to-use-microsoft-immersive-reader-on-ellii" target="_blank">Immersive Reader</a> function, which describes photos using alternative text (alt text) and reads aloud. Most of Ellii&rsquo;s lessons have downloadable or streamable audio files to accompany texts too.

<img alt="Ellii's Read &amp; Listen task" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3216/content_Screen_Shot_2023-05-29_at_3.00.14_PM.png" />

Audio support tools are equally beneficial for learners who have low level literacy, who are learning in noisy places, or who want to improve their listening skills.&nbsp;

With Ellii, there are lots of ways to provide diverse learning opportunities.&nbsp;

Take this <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1566-what-did-you-do-yesterday-irregular-verbs" target="_blank">lesson on the simple past</a>, for example. It has a variety of task and interaction types: vocabulary, grammar structure practice (alone and in pairs), pair work to find out what people did last week, listening, a group speaking activity, and a review/assessment task.

<img alt="information gap" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3229/content_ellii-work-in-pairs.jpg" />

Of course, how you use and adapt each lesson is up to you. You could:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>email students the worksheet to do some tasks in their own time</li>
	<li>complete some (or all) of the tasks together in class (print or digital)</li>
	<li>set some (or all) of the digital tasks for homework</li>
	<li>provide additional learning options:&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/video/simple-past" target="_blank">video</a>, <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3660-a-trip-to-the-bank">Word Bank Reader</a>, <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1643-simple-present-present-progressive-stories">Grammar Story</a>, <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1594-simple-past" target="_blank">Grammar Practice Worksheet</a>, <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2807-simple-past">Super Simple Grammar</a>, <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2138-find-someone-who-didn-t">Interactive Activities&nbsp;</a></li>
	<li>search Ellii&#39;s blog for other <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/5-fun-activities-for-irregular-verbs">fun activity ideas</a></li>
</ul>

<h2>2. Provide multiple means of action &amp; expression</h2>

This principle refers to giving learners choices in how they wish to learn. Involving students in their learning can be mutually beneficial and increase motivation.&nbsp;

Discuss with students how they prefer to receive feedback and which tasks they&rsquo;d find useful for homework. In class, you could assign all of Ellii&#39;s digital&nbsp;tasks to your learners, but ask them to complete 3&ndash;5 of their choice.&nbsp;

<img alt="" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3218/content_Create-Assignment.png" />

Throughout the course you could also let them choose their own assessments. For example:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Writing: write&nbsp;an <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2365-how-to-write-a-note" target="_blank">informal letter</a> (students choose who to write to and the topic)</li>
	<li>Reading: <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4062-canadian-territories-superlative-adjectives">give three texts to choose from</a></li>
	<li>Speaking &amp; Listening: interview a partner, have a group discussion, have a class <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/mini-debates">debate</a>, do a presentation with Q+A, make a video, record themselves using the speaking task, etc.</li>
</ul>

<h2>3. Provide multiple means of engagement</h2>

The final UDL principle centers around offering activities that engage students and keep their interest. This involves finding out which topics interest students and how they like to learn. Ellii&#39;s <a href="https://ellii.com/collections">collections</a> show how vast the content library is. For example, you can teach/review <a href="https://ellii.com/collections/grammar">grammar</a>&nbsp;targets by using&nbsp;traditional grammar lessons, true or fictional stories that present the target in context,&nbsp;mini-grammar lessons that showcase the target within non-fiction readings,&nbsp;videos, etc.

At the beginning of a course, it can be helpful to ask learners what topics they&rsquo;d like to learn about. Try an Ellii <a href="https://ellii.com/resources/assessment-tools">Needs Assessment</a>, such as this one.

<a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3182-needs-assessment-pictorial"><img alt="Ellii Needs Assessment" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3230/content_ellii-needs-assessment.jpg" /></a>

How to keep learners engaged and motivated can be one of the most challenging parts of being a teacher. Providing multisensory learning is a great way to do this:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://help.ellii.com/category/253-digital-homework">Interactive tasks</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/lets-laugh-10-resources-activities-for-inspiring-laughter-in-your-class">Laughter</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4552-fun">fun</a></li>
	<li>Games&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/categories/activities">activities</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/user/dmq8qckunpt5o3g9ixyupia0a">Music</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4506-away-from-india" target="_blank">Photo Prompts</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/role-plays">Role-Plays</a></li>
</ul>

Learner training in <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/the-importance-of-growth-mindset-for-learning-teaching" target="_blank">mindset</a><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/the-importance-of-growth-mindset-for-learning-teaching" target="_blank"> and confidence</a> are crucial too. Teach students that <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/how-to-help-students-fix-recurring-grammar-mistakes" target="_blank">mistakes</a> are an essential part of learning, celebrate progress, and create a welcoming classroom atmosphere.&nbsp;

A quick summary

Universal Design for Learning is a teaching tool to help you create learning experiences that meet the needs of all learners.&nbsp;

Ask yourself, do my classes&hellip;

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="correct">make all learners feel included?</li>
	<li class="correct">give students choices?</li>
	<li class="correct">provide a variety of learning options?&nbsp;</li>
	<li class="correct">make learning multisensory?</li>
	<li class="correct">ask learners what, why, and how they want to learn?</li>
</ul>

And finally, here is a sketchnote I created for the British Council BBELT conference. Maria Jose Galleno Valdez provided some excellent ideas for removing barriers to learning and incorporating UDL principles.&nbsp;

<img alt="UDI sketchnote british council" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3231/content_sketchnote.jpg" />

You can find more information about UDL and access the full framework at <a href="http://www.cast.org/">www.cast.org</a>&nbsp;

If you are interested in inclusion in the classroom, here are some other posts which you might find interesting:&nbsp;

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/supporting-students-with-adhd" target="_blank">Accessibility: Supporting Students with AD(H)D</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/accessibility-supporting-english-learners-with-dyslexia">Accessibility: Supporting English Learners with Dyslexia</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/accessibility-supporting-blind-low-vision-learners" target="_blank">Accessibility: Supporting Blind and Low-Vision Learners</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/support-english-learners-from-refugee-backgrounds" target="_blank">6 Ways to Support English Learners from Refugee Backgrounds</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/tips-for-developing-students-digital-literacy" target="_blank">8 Tips for Developing Students&rsquo; Digital Literacy</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/inclusive-festivities-valuing-every-learner-s-holidays" target="_blank">Inclusive Festivities: How to Value Every Learner&rsquo;s Holidays</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<blockquote>
How do you make learning universal for everyone? Have you tried any of the design principles in this post? Let us know in the comments.
</blockquote>

A Quick Guide to Universal Design for Learning

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These posts are written for learners of English themselves. Find learning tips and ideas for learning English.

For Students

Tina Turner was a music legend who touched the hearts of so many, including three young girls who&#39;ve grown into strong women here at&nbsp;Ellii.

<hr />
When I was a little girl, my parents played Tina Turner tapes in the car all the time (yes, cassette tapes, haha!), so, of course, I became a fan of&nbsp;hers too.

When I was about seven or eight&nbsp;years old, she was playing a concert in my city and I really wanted to go, but it sold out fast and I was so disappointed.

One day my mother and I were shopping at The Bay, and I was complaining because we couldn&rsquo;t get tickets to the concert. Luckily for us, the store clerk overheard us and he just happened to be a ticket scalper. He quietly approached us and sold us four tickets to see Tina Turner. And not just tickets, but floor seats in the third or fourth row!

My parents, my friend, and I went, and I was totally mesmerized by her. She was amazing, but I was too young to appreciate what a legend she was. That was the first concert I ever went to, and it&rsquo;s such a special memory that I will never forget!

I was so sad to hear about her passing.

&mdash;Alison from Ellii

<hr />
I loved Tina Turner. One of my high school friends, who just recently died of cancer, used to crank Tina up in the car and sing along at the top of her lungs as she careened around mountain curves.

It&#39;s a great memory because my friend was very quiet, but Tina brought out the animal in her.&nbsp;

&mdash;Ann from Ellii

<hr />
My first concert was the Private Dancer tour when I was 10 years old. My dad took me, and I remember her prancing around the stage in her white tank and jeans. She was incredible! My dad just passed last July, so it warms my heart to know he now has a front row seat.&nbsp;

&mdash;Michelle M. from Ellii

<hr />
<blockquote>Add your own special Tina Turner memory in the comments and help us build a special tribute to the Queen of Rock &amp; Roll.</blockquote>

<h2>Glossary</h2>

<ul>
	<li>sell out: to sell all of the tickets to a show</li>
	<li>overhear: to hear other people talking in a conversation you are not involved in</li>
	<li>mesmerized: to be unable to stop looking at something amazing</li>
	<li>scalper: a person who resells tickets for more than the original cost</li>
	<li>crank up: to turn the sound up high</li>
	<li>at the top of one&#39;s lungs: very loudly</li>
	<li>careen: to move quickly and almost uncontrollably</li>
	<li>tour: a series of performances in different locations</li>
	<li>prance: to walk around with a dance in one&#39;s step</li>
	<li>tank (top): a sleeveless shirt</li>
	<li>passing / pass (away): death, to die</li>
</ul>

<div class="whiteBox">
<h2>Related Lesson</h2>

<h2 class="circleThumb"><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4571-tina-turner-simply-the-best"><img alt="Tina Turner" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3215/content_133_Tina-Turner-Simply-the-Best.png" /></a></h2>

<h2><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4571-tina-turner-simply-the-best">Tina Turner: Simply the Best</a></h2>
</div>

<h2>Listen to Tina Turner</h2>

This playlist features all of the music mentioned in the <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4570-tina-turner-simply-the-best">advanced</a> version of Ellii&#39;s Tina Turner lesson. 
<iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="352" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/1KjnpM0cGZHvQgMM2eNAoe?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius:12px" width="100%"></iframe>

Our Heartfelt Tina Turner Memories

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Listen and read along.

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Unless you grew up in the UK, you&rsquo;ve likely never heard of cockney rhyming slang. This unique way of speaking can be confusing to those unfamiliar with it. However, if you ever find yourself in&nbsp;London, you&rsquo;ll have a great time piecing conversations together&mdash;that is, once you crack the code!

<h2>What does &quot;cockney&quot; mean?</h2>

&quot;Cockney&quot; refers to a person who is from&nbsp;the East End of London, England. According to popular tradition, a true cockney is someone who lives close enough to hear the bells of the Church of St. Mary-Le-Bow&nbsp;in an area known as Cheapside.

Stereotypical cockneys are working-class people, and the term was originally meant as an insult. However, nowadays cockneys use the title with pride.

The cockney accent is very different from what people call &ldquo;the Queen&rsquo;s English,&rdquo; which is considered an upper-class way of speaking. But what truly separates cockney English from typical London English is the slang. According to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Cockney">Britannica.com</a>, &ldquo;There are as many as 150 terms that are recognized instantly by any rhyming slang user.&rdquo; Below are just a few&nbsp;commonly used phrases and their meanings.

<h2>Common phrases</h2>

<ul>
	<li>apples and pears = stairs</li>
	<li>army and navy = gravy</li>
	<li>bees and honey = money</li>
	<li>bottle and stopper = copper (policeman)</li>
	<li>box of toys =&nbsp;noise</li>
	<li>brown bread =&nbsp;dead</li>
	<li>bubble bath =&nbsp;laugh</li>
	<li>borrow and beg =&nbsp;egg</li>
	<li>currant bun =&nbsp;sun</li>
	<li>cut and carried =&nbsp;married</li>
	<li>dog and bone =&nbsp;phone</li>
	<li>early hours =&nbsp;flowers</li>
	<li>light and dark =&nbsp;park</li>
	<li>loaf of bread =&nbsp;head</li>
	<li>lump of ice =&nbsp;advice</li>
	<li>mince pies =&nbsp;eyes</li>
	<li>on the floor =&nbsp;poor</li>
	<li>pleasure and pain =&nbsp;rain</li>
	<li>china plate =&nbsp;mate (friend)</li>
</ul>

<h2>Give it a try!</h2>

Now that you&rsquo;ve had a taste of it, try translating this paragraph:

Oi,*&nbsp;china plate! Let me give you a lump of ice. When talking to a pretty girl, look her in the mince pies and make her bubble bath. On the floor? No problem! Pick her a nice bunch of early hours. Calling her up on the dog and bone and taking her on a nice walk in the light and dark doesn&rsquo;t cost any bees and honey either&mdash;but make sure the currant bun is shining! There&rsquo;s nothing like pleasure and pain to ruin a good date. Lastly, just use your loaf of bread and&nbsp;you&rsquo;ll be cut and carried in no time!

*&quot;Oi&quot; is a typical&nbsp;cockney exclamation.

<h2>What do you think?</h2>

Could you ever get used to speaking in cockney rhyming slang? Does your first language have anything similar? Let us know in the comments!

What Is Cockney Rhyming Slang?

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Note to students: This&nbsp;article uses Canadian spelling.&nbsp;Listen and follow along with the article. Then&nbsp;take the student challenge. A glossary of keywords is available at the end.

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</div>

Red Dress Day, observed annually in Canada on May 5, raises&nbsp;awareness about missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and&nbsp;two-spirit people.&nbsp;This date serves as a reminder of the ongoing violence and systemic issues faced by Indigenous communities.&nbsp;

<h2>The origin of Red Dress Day</h2>

In 2010, Jaime Black, a M&eacute;tis artist from Canada, created a powerful&nbsp;installation of hanging empty&nbsp;red dresses.&nbsp;She called the installation the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jaimeblackartist.com/exhibitions/">REDress Project</a>. It was first shown at the University of Winnipeg&nbsp;in 2011 and has travelled throughout Canada and to Washington, DC, since then.&nbsp;This exhibition inspired the observance of Red Dress Day.

The US also commemorates this day,&nbsp;sharing the objective of raising awareness about the alarming rates of violence faced by Indigenous women and girls in America.

<h2>Why a red dress?</h2>

The colour red was chosen because it represents the bloodshed and violence endured by Indigenous women throughout history&nbsp;while also drawing attention to the need for justice and action.&nbsp;By wearing red on this day, people across the country show their solidarity and support for the families affected by these tragedies.

<h2>Increasing awareness and advocacy</h2>

The primary goal of Red Dress Day is to raise public awareness about the high rates of violence faced by Indigenous women through organized events, including marches and educational campaigns. The hope is that increased awareness will lead to policy changes, improved support services, and prevention initiatives. 
 
Red Dress Day, like <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/orange-shirt-day">Orange Shirt Day</a>, serves as a platform for healing, remembrance, and support for the families who continue to mourn the loss of their loved ones. Through shared grief and resilience, communities can find solace and strength while also demanding justice.

Glossary

<ul>
	<li>systemic: relating to a system</li>
	<li>alarming: surprising (in a negative way)</li>
	<li>solidarity: support that shows you are in something together</li>
	<li>policy change: a change to a rule or law</li>
	<li>prevention initiative:&nbsp;a new idea with a goal of stopping something from happening again&nbsp;</li>
	<li>mourn: to feel and express sadness over a loss or death</li>
	<li>two-spirit person: an individual who embodies a blend of male and female spirits</li>
	<li>resilience: strength during difficult times</li>
	<li>solace: comfort during times of sadness</li>
</ul>

<h2>Learn more</h2>

Are you a newcomer honouring a commitment to learn more about the treatment of Indigenous people? Ask your teacher to share Ellii&#39;s True Grammar Stories lesson&nbsp;<a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3363-indigenous-people-simple-present-past">Indigenous People: Simple Present &amp; Past</a>, which&nbsp;includes the true story of&nbsp;Chantel Moore,&nbsp;an Indigenous woman from the Tla‑o‑qui‑aht First Nation, who&nbsp;died at the hands of police in New Brunswick, Canada. Ellii also has a Holidays &amp; Events lesson where you&nbsp;can learn about <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3783-national-day-for-truth-and-reconciliation">National Day for Truth and Reconciliation</a> (Orange Shirt Day).&nbsp;

<blockquote>
Challenge: Wear red on May 5. Then ask a friend this question: Do you know why I&#39;m wearing red today? How will you answer? Leave a comment summarizing what you will say.
</blockquote>

Red Dress Day: Honouring Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIWG)

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Over the years, I&rsquo;ve lost count of how many workshops, talks, and webinars I&rsquo;ve delivered and attended.&nbsp;

What always strikes me is that every ELT professional brings such a unique perspective to the industry. There are so many diverse teaching contexts and experiences. Sharing them with the world is essential for progress.&nbsp;

In this blog post, I&rsquo;ll share my top tips for delivering a successful conference workshop, webinar, or talk.&nbsp;

<h2>Know your stuff</h2>

It goes without saying that you should talk about something you know well.&nbsp;

I remember attending a meeting at Education Scotland. One of my colleagues was updating the team on a project they were working on. They were amazing. The presentation just flowed without the need for visuals.&nbsp;

Afterwards, I commented on how well they&rsquo;d delivered the update. Their response was to shrug and say, &quot;I just talked about my job.&quot;&nbsp;

So, just talk about your job! It&rsquo;s a topic you know well because you do it every day.&nbsp;

<h2>Share your passion</h2>

<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/andycowle/?originalSubdomain=uk">Andy Cowle</a> is one of the most engaging presenters I&rsquo;ve ever seen. He&rsquo;s delivered teacher training sessions for numerous ELT organizations over the years.&nbsp;

When I asked him for his top tip on public speaking, he said this:

<blockquote>
&nbsp;&quot;It has to be something you care about.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
&mdash;Andy Cowle
</blockquote>

That comment was a critical incident for me in terms of public speaking. It was the moment I realized I had to share what I love most about teaching with the world.&nbsp;

If you&rsquo;re speaking about a subject that bores you to tears, it&rsquo;s unlikely you&rsquo;ll be able to get enthusiastic about it. Choose something that makes you sing&nbsp;and it will make you glow!

<h2>Use engaging visuals</h2>

I recently received this feedback:&nbsp;

<blockquote>
&quot;Thanks for an interesting and visually stimulating presentation&mdash;often it&#39;s one or the other but rarely both.&quot;

&mdash;Helen Morfydd, National Centre for Learning Welsh
</blockquote>

Visuals are so important for conveying meaning and keeping participants engaged. They&rsquo;re also invaluable in reminding you what you want to talk about. Consider using them to tell a story, to serve as&nbsp;speaking prompts, or to base an activity on.&nbsp;

For example, I like to use this image I drew of marigolds to have participants share ways to create a positive classroom atmosphere. Using annotation tools&nbsp;or Post-it notes, attendees add their ideas. It&rsquo;s cheerful, fun, and a bit different.&nbsp;

<img alt="marigolds drawing" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3195/content_marigolds-drawing.jpg" />

It&rsquo;s also a great way to remove the need for text. Using a lot of words on a slide can be overwhelming and distracting. Participants may read the text rather than listening to the presentation.&nbsp;

<h2>Be interactive</h2>

Some of the most memorable workshops I&rsquo;ve attended have involved interactive tasks. I still remember <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/johanna-stirling-5aa35717/">Johanna Stirling</a> demonstrating various spelling activities at IATEFL way back circa 2009. The rest of the sessions are long forgotten!

Including activities for participants will not only make your session memorable, but it will also take the spotlight off of you. Plus, every audience is full of participants with great ideas and a wealth of experience. Give them an opportunity to share their knowledge and get involved.&nbsp;

Interaction is especially important during online sessions. In a face-to-face session, people are more likely to make the effort to stay focused. It would be socially inappropriate to stand up, walk out, or start doing a bit of work.&nbsp;

In an online session, it&rsquo;s all too easy to turn off screens and microphones. If there&rsquo;s no interaction, there&rsquo;s no reason for participants not to start checking their emails!&nbsp;

Add interactive tasks such as discussion questions and idea&nbsp;sharing as often as possible.&nbsp;

<h2>Practice</h2>

Talking to yourself&nbsp;or a supportive friend&nbsp;is invaluable when it comes to delivering a successful presentation.&nbsp;

Practicing your session helps you to put the words into your muscle memory&nbsp;and ensure that your timing is spot on.&nbsp;

Before talks at a conference, I like to get my laptop (or phone) out and use it to display the slides. I&rsquo;ll then stand up and time myself. If I have activities that I need to draw, I&rsquo;ll rehearse those in my notepad.&nbsp;

This boosts my confidence&nbsp;and, in some cases, has made the live session feel like I&rsquo;m on autopilot, as I knew it so well.&nbsp;

Online sessions don&rsquo;t need to be memorized so thoroughly since you can always refer to notes or use presenter view to remind you of the next section, but it can still be handy to have a quick read through before logging on.&nbsp;

<h2>Get inspired</h2>

Watching others can be a great way to develop as a public speaker. When you see someone you think is awesome, think about what it is that makes them so engaging.&nbsp;

One of the most inspiring speakers I know is <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/chia-suan-chong-27655b28/" target="_blank">Chia Suan Chong</a>. She talks a lot about Intercultural Communication Skills and presents the ELTons every year. She has a welcoming presence and a permanent smile. She uses a lot of stories, visuals, and activities to make her sessions appealing and interactive.&nbsp;

I also always make time to see <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/harry-waters/">Harry Waters</a>. He has an infectious energy and a laid-back manner, which makes people feel relaxed. In his webinars, he uses some magical technique (<a href="https://obsproject.com/">OBS Project</a>) to make words float next to his head rather than using the share-screen function to display slides.&nbsp;

<h2>Exude confidence</h2>

Public speaking can be nerve-racking. Even experienced speakers get nervous before, during, and after a session.&nbsp;

It&rsquo;s completely normal.&nbsp;

Someone once told me that instead of getting anxious about a presentation, it&rsquo;s better to reframe the emotion to excitement. This shift in mindset helps me to view pre-session nerves from a more positive perspective.&nbsp;

Staying positive is crucial for confidence. It&rsquo;s important to remember that 99% of the people attending the session want to see you doing well, and they expect you to do well.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/bhavnagupta2304/">Bhavna Gupta</a> talks about the ELT community being full of marigolds. These are delightful, orange flowers. They are also known as &quot;companion plants&quot;&nbsp;because they help all their neighboring plants to grow.&nbsp;

When you&rsquo;re preparing for your session, visualize a room (or screen) full of marigolds. They&rsquo;re all there to support you.&nbsp;

<blockquote>
What are your top conference speaking tips? Do any ELT speakers spring to mind as particularly inspiring? What makes them stand out?
</blockquote>

Speaking at an ELT Conference: Top Tips for Successful Presentations

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Spring is back in the Northern Hemisphere and the world is coming alive again. It&rsquo;s a time for blooming flowers, nice weather, and renewed energy.&nbsp;What better time to clean your house? It&#39;s common knowledge that spending time in clean, organized spaces is good for mental health. Here are some spring cleaning tips to bring freshness to your living space, no matter where you live! And, to kill two birds with one stone, why not learn some idioms at the same time?

<h2>Make a donation</h2>

Take a page out of organizing consultant&nbsp;Marie Kondo&rsquo;s book and clear your clutter&nbsp;by donating or giving away items that do not &ldquo;spark joy.&rdquo;&nbsp;This might include clothes you haven&rsquo;t worn in a while, books you&rsquo;ve already read, or knickknacks&nbsp;you just don&rsquo;t love anymore.

<h2>Pop open a Coke</h2>

Nobody likes scrubbing the toilet, but here&#39;s a trick that won&#39;t require you to use too much elbow grease. If you have rust rings&nbsp;in your toilet bowl, pouring a full can of cola over them can help get rid of them! Pour the soda around the rim so it covers the entire bowl, wait for an hour, and then scrub and flush. The result should be clean as a whistle!

<h2>Have a freezer feast</h2>

If you&rsquo;re the kind of person who throws everything in the freezer until there&rsquo;s no room left, invite some friends over and have a party. After you&#39;ve prepared the food&nbsp;that&rsquo;s been stashed away over the last few months, you and your pals can enjoy pigging out.

<h2>Get that hair out of there</h2>

We love our pets, but they sure do shed. Hair-removing rollers don&rsquo;t always cut it, and they can be expensive. Luckily, you can remove pet hair from furniture with something you probably already have in your home&mdash;a pair of rubber gloves! Just slip them on and run your hand over those hairy surfaces.

<h2>Get rid of sink stink</h2>

If your kitchen has a garbage disposal, then you know those things can get awfully smelly.&nbsp;Toss a few lemon rinds in there and turn the disposal on for 30 seconds. Add some cold water&nbsp;and inhale the freshness!

Do you have any favorite cleaning tips? If so, we&rsquo;d love to hear them. Leave us a comment and share the knowledge. Happy cleaning!

<h1>Glossary</h1>

<ul>
	<li>kill two birds with one stone: to&nbsp;achieve two things at once</li>
	<li>elbow grease:&nbsp;physical effort</li>
	<li>clean as a whistle: very clean</li>
	<li>take a page out of someone&#39;s book: to follow someone&#39;s example</li>
	<li>pig out: to eat a lot of food at one time</li>
	<li>not cut it: to not be good enough to do something</li>
</ul>

Make a Clean Sweep: Learn Some Tips (& Idioms) for Spring Cleaning

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I have been attending IATEFL since around 2008. It&rsquo;s such a brilliant opportunity to stay informed about current practices in ELT, meet new people, and catch up with long-lost contacts.&nbsp;

Here are some of my highlights, reflections, and key takeaways!

<h2>Highlights</h2>

<blockquote>
&quot;It&rsquo;s not about the destination, but the journey.&quot; 
&mdash;&nbsp;Ralph Waldo Emerson.
</blockquote>

This was how my conference started...&nbsp;

I cycled 264 miles from Glasgow to Harrogate <a href="https://www.justgiving.com/page/emily-bryson-cycle-to-iatefl-harrogate-2023-for-hup">to raise money for The Hands Up Project</a>. HUP provides remote theater, storytelling, poetry, and other creative language learning opportunities for children in Palestine.&nbsp;I managed to raise &pound;1,600! This was my third and most challenging ride to IATEFL. Once complete, I discovered I&rsquo;d ascended 6,000 meters&nbsp;(19,000 ft), which is the equivalent of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro!

Learn more about <a href="https://www.handsupproject.org/" target="_blank">The Hands Up Project</a>.

<img alt="Emily Bryson arrives in Harrogate for IATEFL 2023 after cycling 264 miles from Glasgow " src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3175/content_Emily-Bryson-Route-Profile-Harrogate-cycle.jpg" />

Another highlight was speaking at the conference. I had three sessions to deliver. One at the pre-conference event, one at the main conference, and one at the Hands Up Project conference.&nbsp;

My first workshop was for the Inclusive Practices &amp; Special Educational Needs and Leadership and Management special interest groups. The focus was on well-being, so my <a href="https://emilybrysonelt.com/freebies/" target="_blank">active doodling meditation</a> and<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/activity-to-boost-confidence-and-well-being"> inner troll vs. inner angel activity</a> fit perfectly. I was scheduled at the end of the day because they knew my session would be interactive and they wanted me to get feedback using <a href="https://emilybrysonelt.com/feedback-comes-in-many-forms-but-the-best-is-a-fairy/">the feedback fairy</a>!

At the main conference, I gave an overview of National Geographic Learning&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.ngl-emea.com/teaching-through-crisis" target="_blank">Teaching through Crisis</a> series. This series provides free resources, professional development videos, and well-being support for teachers and students learning in difficult circumstances.&nbsp;

The day after the conference, I was honored to deliver a similar session for NGL on developing learner voices at the Hands Up Project conference. I left this event feeling so inspired by all the wonderful things this charity does for children who really need it.&nbsp;

<h2>Key takeaways</h2>

As with every conference, key themes emerged. These could be different for everyone that attended, but for me, the hot topic was&nbsp;diversity, equity, and inclusion.

As predicted in my <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/6-english-language-teaching-trends-in-2023">2023 ELT Trends blog post</a>, this continues to be a popular topic. Wiktoria Allan&rsquo;s session on AD(H)D was so popular that they had to close the room and many (myself included) couldn&rsquo;t attend.&nbsp;

Peter Fullager and Thorsten Merse each delivered excellent sessions on how to make LGBT+ inclusion more visible.

<img alt=" Sketchnote of Peter Fullager's IATEFL session on taboo in ELT." src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3176/content_Emily_Bryson._Peter_Fullager._IATEFL_2023.jpg" />

Tyson Seburn spoke about the importance of questioning language usage for inclusive purposes. He used a four-step framework. Here&rsquo;s the sketchnote:&nbsp;

<img alt="Sketchnote of Tyson Seburn's 2023 IATEFL session on our language of exclusion." src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3177/content_Tyson_Seburn_IATEFL_Emily_Bryson_Sketchnote_April2023_1.jpg" />

<h3>De-centering ELT</h3>

<a href="https://www.hornby-trust.org.uk/decentring-elt" target="_blank">The Hornby Scholars</a> gave a world-changing talk about the need for ELT to meet the needs of teachers and learners in individual contexts. Their session shared the importance of materials, methodology, and professional development that reflects reality and is suitable for local contexts.

<img alt="IATEFL sketchnote by Emily Bryson of the Hornby Scholars talk about the need for ELT to meet the needs of teachers and learners in individual contexts" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3178/content_Decentring_ELT_Emily_Bryson_ELT_sketchnote_1.jpg" />

Translanguaging&nbsp;

Translanguaging is the use of multiple languages to support learning. Students can use their first language&nbsp;or a language they share with other&nbsp;learners to generate meaning, discuss questions and ideas, or take notes. The English language classroom is then a multilingual space where language diversity is embraced to enhance the learning experience.&nbsp;

This was a prominent topic throughout this conference, interwoven with de-centering and de-colonizing ELT (e.g., moving away from so-called &quot;native speaker&quot;&nbsp;models) with a view to embracing all global Englishes.&nbsp;

<h3>Trauma-informed practices</h3>

This may be a theme that stood out to me personally, but it seemed as if ESOL and learners facing difficult circumstances had more of a voice this year.&nbsp;

Lesley Painter-Farrell gave an emotional plenary sharing the experiences of her learners, who have experienced forced displacement or migration.&nbsp;

She asked us to imagine a life where we were forced to leave home, never see our families, live on a limited budget, and communicate across a language barrier.&nbsp;

Powerful stuff. I cried. As did many others.&nbsp;

<img alt="Sketchnote of Lesley Painter's 2023 IATEFL plenary on the experiences of her learners who have experienced forced displacement or migration" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3179/content_Emily_Bryson._Lesley_Painter._IATEFL_2023.jpg" />

At the ESOL pre-conference event, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&amp;v=533580844823232" target="_blank">Lora Agbaso</a> shared her own experiences of forced displacement&nbsp;with&nbsp;a touching metaphor of how seeking asylum can leave you feeling suspended in a lonely sea. She shared some great advice for teaching learners who have experienced trauma.&nbsp;

<img alt="Sketchnote of Lora Agbaso's 2023 IATEFL session on her own experiences of forced displacement" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3180/content_Lora_Agbaso_sketchnote_EmilyBrysonELT_1.jpg" />

<h3>Reflections</h3>

IATEFL 2023 was a whirlwind of a conference for me. I feel like I met so many people in short bursts, but didn&rsquo;t get enough time with anyone!&nbsp;

If I could wish for one thing, it would be that my drawing tablet could have been light as a feather so I could have brought it on my bike for sketchnoting. But it wasn&rsquo;t, so I didn&rsquo;t. And I still enjoyed creating my analogue notes.&nbsp;

In many ways, IATEFL&nbsp;and other conferences&nbsp;can feel like the annual meeting of the ELT clans! It&rsquo;s a time to share ideas, discuss challenging topics, and take steps to improve.&nbsp;

<blockquote>
Did you attend IATEFL or another ELT conference recently? What were your highlights, key takeaways, and reflections?&nbsp;
</blockquote>

<h2>Related</h2>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/speaking-at-an-elt-conference-demystifying-the-application-process" target="_blank">Speaking at an ELT Conference: Demystifying the Application Process</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-an-elt-conference">How to Get the Most Out of an ELT Conference</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/tesol-2023-in-portland">TESOL 2023 in Portland: Feeling the #ELT Pulse</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/sketchnoting-101-supercharged-professional-development-with-visual-notes" target="_blank">Sketchnoting 101:&nbsp;Supercharge Professional Development with Visual Notes</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://www.cambridge.org/elt/blog/2023/05/04/4-takeaways-from-iatefl-2023/" target="_blank">4 takeaways from IATEFL 2023 by Jo Szoke</a></li>
</ul>

IATEFL 2023: Highlights, Key Takeaways & Reflections

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Speaking at an English language teaching convention is an excellent way to develop professionally and share your ideas with the world. Maybe you&#39;ve been inspired by speakers at a recent conference or perhaps you need motivation to attend an&nbsp;in-person event down the road.&nbsp;

In this blog post, I&rsquo;ll explore tips for finding the right conference and writing a successful speaker proposal.&nbsp;

<h2>Finding the right conference</h2>

When it comes to ELT conferences, there are so many to choose from. Which one you select will depend on a number of factors.&nbsp;

Firstly, consider how easy and cost-effective it is to travel there. I&rsquo;ve always coveted a trip to TESOL in the US, but so far it&rsquo;s been highly impractical and overly expensive to make that happen.&nbsp;

Online or hybrid events are a good alternative. These are&nbsp;perfect opportunities to network internationally and share your message with the world&nbsp;without having to leave home. They&nbsp;also have the added advantage of saving time. Travel days and time spent at conferences can really eat into working hours, which can be a big consideration if you&rsquo;re not getting paid to attend.&nbsp;

Smaller local conferences are a great place to start, especially if you are speaking for the first time. A room with 20&ndash;40 delegates, possibly familiar and friendly faces, will ease you in gently and allow you to gain confidence.&nbsp;

<h2>Deciding what to speak about</h2>

Every teacher has something important to say. Each educational context is unique and sharing what has worked for you can inspire and support others.&nbsp;

<img alt="Emily Bryson ELT at IATEFL 2023" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3132/content_Emily-IATEFL-Presentation.jpeg" />

Emily Bryson presenting on teacher well-being at IATEFL 2023 in Harrogate. Learn more about Emily&#39;s thoughts on the&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/activity-to-boost-confidence-and-well-being">inner troll here</a>.

Presentation topics at conferences are often limitless. Think about what you&rsquo;ve been working on recently. It could be:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>A class project</li>
	<li>Action research</li>
	<li>Your favorite teaching activities</li>
	<li>A problem you&#39;ve solved</li>
	<li>A collaboration with other organizations</li>
	<li>Content you&rsquo;ve developed</li>
</ul>

Some conferences have themes. For example, inclusive learning or removing barriers to learning. It&rsquo;s important that your topic fits with the overall theme.&nbsp;

<img alt="Emily Bryson's sketchnote of the Coffee Talk on Simplicity for ElliiCon 2022" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3135/content_2022-10-11_Emily-Bryson-Drawings_01.png" />

In 2022, the theme of #ElliiCon&nbsp;was Simplicity. Emily sketchnoted the Coffee Talk that the Publishing team hosted to kick things off.&nbsp;During the conference, speakers focused on hacks, simple activities, and tools to make teaching a little less hectic. You can watch the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLP0N5nuiA3aMqdcebjNOfZUGdOEGRmrms">recordings</a> on our NEW Ellii for Teachers YouTube channel: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@elliiteachers">youtube.com/@elliiteachers</a>. Stay tuned for the 2023 theme&nbsp;and be sure to join Ellii for this free online conference in September!

Whatever you decide to speak about, I recommend choosing something you know well and that you are genuinely passionate about. Your knowledge and enthusiasm will shine through during the session.&nbsp;

<h2>Staying informed</h2>

Once you&rsquo;ve selected which conference you want to speak at, it&rsquo;s a good idea to follow the organization on socials. This is where they&rsquo;ll post information about their call for proposals.&nbsp;

If the conference has a mailing list, I recommend signing up&nbsp;so you don&rsquo;t miss any important information or dates.&nbsp;

<h2>Writing the conference proposal</h2>

Each conference has a slightly different application process. It&rsquo;s important to read the speaker proposal guidelines thoroughly before you apply&nbsp;and to get your application in on time.&nbsp;

In general, for English language teaching conferences, I&rsquo;ve found that most calls for proposals require the following:&nbsp;

A title: Usually 10 words or less. The catchier, the better.&nbsp;

An abstract: This is usually around 50&ndash;100 words and is a summary or your session. This is the text that participants will read when choosing the&nbsp;sessions they will attend. It&rsquo;s a good idea to make it as appealing as possible. Including keywords will make it easier for delegates to find you in a&nbsp;search&nbsp;if the conference program&nbsp;is online or in PDF format.&nbsp;

A summary: This is more detailed information for the conference organizers. It&rsquo;s likely to be 200&ndash;500 words, but could be more. Here is where you can give information about the type of presentation you&rsquo;re doing, what activities you&rsquo;re including, and whether you&rsquo;ll be promoting a product or giving access to openly available content.&nbsp;

A bio: In this section, you get to briefly summarize yourself. Give the key points of interest and focus on your professional life. I tend to tweak my bio based on what I&rsquo;m talking about and my audience. You may wish to include things like how long you&rsquo;ve been in ELT, what roles you&rsquo;ve played (e.g., teacher, materials developer, researcher), your qualifications, any publications, and specific areas of interest or expertise you may have.&nbsp;

<blockquote>
My top tip is to save all your conference applications in one place. This way, if you speak about something similar in the future, you can easily tweak them.&nbsp;&nbsp;
</blockquote>

It&rsquo;s also a good idea to ask a friend to read it over for you. Ask them to check that it meets the guidelines, it&rsquo;s clear what the session will be about, and it sounds interesting enough to attend.&nbsp;

<h2>Session types</h2>

You may be asked to specify whether you&rsquo;re delivering a talk or a workshop. If you intend to speak for the duration of your allotted time, select talk. If you&rsquo;re planning something more interactive&nbsp;where participants work together or discuss certain aspects of the topic, choose workshop.&nbsp;

<h2>Funding and getting paid</h2>

This is the tricky bit. The majority of ELT conferences don&rsquo;t have the budget to pay all their speakers. Often it&rsquo;s only the plenary speakers that receive a payment or funding for expenses (e.g., travel, accommodation, and food).&nbsp;However, it&rsquo;s also common to get a reduced rate or free pass to the conference itself in exchange for speaking.&nbsp;

In order to get paid, you could do one of the following:&nbsp;

Ask your boss:&nbsp;If you&rsquo;re speaking about a topic related to your organization, they may have a budget to pay your conference fees and expenses. They may also be able to either pay you or compensate for your time through additional vacation days at a later date.&nbsp;

Represent a publisher or other organization:&nbsp;If you&rsquo;ve been working for a larger ELT organization, they may want you to represent them and deliver teacher training based on one of their products or services. You could approach them, stating the benefits from their perspective.&nbsp;

Ask the conference organizer:&nbsp;Sometimes there is a budget to pay speakers or to supplement their travel and accommodation fees. It can be worth asking.&nbsp;

Look for scholarships: Large international conferences, such as IATEFL, have a range of scholarship opportunities. Get organized and research these early. They are offered for a range of reasons, such as:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Where you live (e.g., Africa, Latin America)</li>
	<li>Your teaching experience (e.g., IATEFL has one for early career teachers)</li>
	<li>Your area of expertise (e.g., pronunciation, research, inclusion)</li>
</ul>

Stay positive when you&rsquo;re applying for these scholarships and consider applying for more than one. Some are oversubscribed, but others struggle to find the right applicant each year. It&rsquo;s often a game of being the right person at the right time!&nbsp;

<blockquote>
What are your top tips for applying to speak at an ELT conference? Feel free to share them in the comments. We&rsquo;d love to hear from you.&nbsp;
</blockquote>

Speaking at an ELT Conference: Demystifying the Application Process

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As I write this, I&rsquo;m preparing for a long-distance bike ride. I&rsquo;ll be cycling 250 miles between Glasgow and Harrogate to raise money for the <a href="https://www.handsupproject.org/" target="_blank">Hands Up Project</a>.&nbsp;

It&rsquo;s the third time I&rsquo;ve cycled to IATEFL. In 2022, I cycled from Glasgow to Belfast (via ferry) for <a href="https://www.amalaeducation.org/">Amala Education</a> and in 2019 from Glasgow to Liverpool for <a href="https://codeyourfuture.io/" target="_blank">Code Your Future</a>.&nbsp;

Each time, people have donated generously and then commented in awe:

<ul>
	<li>&quot;I just don&rsquo;t know how you can do that.&quot;</li>
	<li>&quot;I&rsquo;d never be fit enough.&quot;&nbsp;</li>
	<li>&quot;You&rsquo;re an amazing human.&quot;&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

However, I&rsquo;m not any more amazing than any other human. I&rsquo;m also not even superfit. What gets me to my destination is my growth mindset.&nbsp;

<img alt="Emily Bryson biking to IATEFL" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3128/content_content_Emily-bike.jpg" />

<h2>What is a growth mindset?</h2>

A growth mindset is having the self-belief that you can succeed at life&rsquo;s challenges. It&rsquo;s about having&nbsp;the confidence to try new things, push yourself, and learn from mistakes. People with a growth mindset believe that they can achieve anything if they try hard enough.&nbsp;

The opposite is a fixed mindset. This is when someone doesn&rsquo;t believe that they can do something, so they avoid&nbsp;it or give&nbsp;up when things get difficult. People with a fixed mindset may believe that their skills and abilities are unchangeable.&nbsp;

<h2>Why is a growth mindset important for students?</h2>

Confidence is crucial for language learning. Students who believe that they can learn to develop their skills, memorize new words, and communicate fluently are much more likely to succeed.&nbsp;

These learners also tend to be more self-directed, motivated, and resilient. When tasks are difficult, they&rsquo;ll find a way to complete them rather than giving up.

<h2>Why is a growth mindset important for teachers?</h2>

As teachers, we are role models. When students see someone who believes in themselves (and in them),&nbsp;this inadvertently gives them confidence.&nbsp;

Giving students praise and&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/introducing-grade-feed" target="_blank">supportive feedback</a>&nbsp;while&nbsp;encouraging them to develop new skills can have a huge impact on student&rsquo;s self-belief and mental well-being.&nbsp;

From a professional development perspective, cultivating a growth mindset is key to learning new teaching skills or making career advances.&nbsp;

<h2>How can we boost our learners&#39; (and our own) growth mindset?</h2>

Positive self-talk is the key to a growth mindset. We need to be kind and reassure ourselves (and our learners) that anything is possible with effort.&nbsp;

I&rsquo;ve had moments when I&rsquo;m cycling uphill into horizontal rain. The only option is to continue and the best way to reach the destination is to pedal as hard as possible. In moments like this, I have mantras:

<ul>
	<li>&quot;Just keep pushing.&quot;</li>
	<li>&quot;I can do this.&quot;</li>
</ul>

I&rsquo;ve adopted similar mantras when I have multiple deadlines or an overwhelming to do list:

<ul>
	<li>&quot;Keep going.&quot;&nbsp;</li>
	<li>&quot;One more.&quot;</li>
</ul>

I remember once reading an article by Juliana Buhring, a round-the-world cyclist. She mentioned that she finds reframing her thoughts invaluable when things get tough. Instead of &quot;This is awful,&quot; reframe it to &quot;This is fun&quot;&nbsp;or &quot;I&rsquo;m definitely learning something today.&quot;&nbsp;

This can be particularly helpful when it comes to mistakes. For some learners, mistakes can be demotivating and anxiety inducing. However, in reality, they are the <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/tesol-2023-in-portland-top-takeaway">best learning opportunities</a>.&nbsp;

Whenever my learners make a mistake, I&rsquo;ll respond with &quot;Oh good! I&rsquo;m so glad you did that. That&#39;s a really common mistake. Now we can talk about it and practice.&quot;

You can also support your learners&nbsp;and your inner voice&nbsp;by reframing with the word &quot;yet.&quot;

For example:&nbsp;

<blockquote>
Student: I can&rsquo;t do this.&nbsp;

Teacher: You mean, you can&rsquo;t do this YET?

Student: I don&rsquo;t know how to use narrative tenses.

Teacher: You mean, you don&rsquo;t know how to use narrative tenses YET?
</blockquote>

This instantly demonstrates that skills are there to be developed. It&rsquo;s only a matter of time and hard work.&nbsp;

You may also like this post about switching off your inner troll and paying more attention to your <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/activity-to-boost-confidence-and-well-being" target="_blank">inner angel</a>.&nbsp;

<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/activity-to-boost-confidence-and-well-being"><img alt="inner devil vs inner angel" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3127/content_content_content_Screen_Shot_2022-05-24_at_1.32.44_PM.jpg" /></a>

<blockquote>
Share a comment with Ellii. How do you feel about growth mindset? Is it something that comes naturally to you? How do you support your learners to be positive and confident about developing new skills?
</blockquote>

The Importance of a Growth Mindset for Learning & Teaching

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<h2>CLB, PBLA, LINC &amp;&nbsp;Ellii&nbsp;</h2>

Hi,&nbsp;I&#39;m Jen Artan! Since I came on board the Ellii team more than a year ago, I&rsquo;ve been&nbsp;helping to&nbsp;develop LINC materials for our content library. I&#39;ve also been working&nbsp;to ensure that our resources are calibrated to the correct Canadian Language Benchmark&nbsp;(CLB) levels&nbsp;and that there is a wide range of competencies and skills represented in our database. &nbsp;

<img alt="Jen Artan from Ellii" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3123/content_Headshot_Jen_Ellii.jpg" />

Jen Artan, Ellii&#39;s CLB Materials Writer &amp; Presenter

As the resident CLB specialist at Ellii, I&rsquo;m working on creating a curated set of materials aligned with the most popular and common LINC modules. For this task, I&rsquo;ve been combing through the massive number of resources that Ellii has in order to identify the most relevant and practical skill-building, skill-using, and real-world resources for our LINC classrooms. &nbsp;

Watch for these special collections to come out this spring. I will be sending out a LINC-themed newsletter as well.&nbsp;

<h2>Helpful links</h2>

In the meantime, you can use the following links to help you find content developed with&nbsp;the Canadian classroom in mind:

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/linc">LINC Themes Collection</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/clb-competencies" target="_blank">CLB Competencies Collection</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/nations-regions/o-canada" target="_blank">Canada Collection</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://help.ellii.com/article/62-how-to-find-clb-content">How to Find &amp; Filter CLB Content</a></li>
</ul>

<h2>Office hours</h2>

Welcome to my &quot;office space.&quot;&nbsp;Feel free to reach out to me via email at jennifer@ellii.com. You can also use&nbsp;the space below if you have any ideas, suggestions, or comments. You can&nbsp;let me know what you&#39;d like me to include in a quarterly CLB newsletter or what you&#39;d like me to cover in&nbsp;a CLB webinar.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

CLB Office Hours

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Over the last few years, Canadian LINC teachers have demonstrated tremendous resilience and adaptability in challenging situations. They have gracefully navigated shifting learning environments and&nbsp;pivoted when necessary without seeming to miss a beat.&nbsp;

In my conversations this past year with LINC teachers and administrators at in-person and virtual conferences,&nbsp;such as <a href="https://www.teslontario.org/content/tesl-toronto-t4t">TESL Toronto&nbsp;T4T</a>, <a href="https://www.tesllondon.ca/">TESL London</a>, <a href="https://bridge.edu/tefl/blog/summit/Summit-Schedule">BridgeUniverse Summit</a>, and <a href="https://cesba.com/">CESBA</a>, I&rsquo;ve been able to get a feel for what teachers consider their most pressing professional development needs.

<ol>
	<li>Communities of practice.&nbsp;The need to have frequent, ongoing professional networks and connections, whether they be online or in person, is prevalent among educators.</li>
	<li>Technology KSAs.&nbsp;Knowledge, skills, and abilities related to educational technology still top the list of teacher PD pursuits.</li>
	<li>Learner-engagement strategies. Teachers in blended learning environments have noted a kind of learner online fatigue setting in&nbsp;and are looking for ways to mitigate&nbsp;it.</li>
</ol>

<h1>Communities of practice&nbsp;</h1>

Connecting and collaborating have taken on deeper significance as of late, given what we know about <a href="https://oeb.global/oeb-insights/communities-of-practice-indispensable-support-for-todays-educators/">personal growth and mental health</a>. More and more teachers work remotely&nbsp;or in blended classrooms. Being part of an engaged community of practice means staying connected and on top of what&rsquo;s important and relevant in the field. It means teachers&nbsp;feel&nbsp;less isolated when they are part of an active in-person or virtual community of practice.

<blockquote>
Networking and collaboration are of huge importance. Little can be gained from repeating existing practices; we need to move forward, to progress. Doing the same things over and over and expecting different outcomes is simply not plausible.&nbsp;

&ndash;Dr. Sandra Kučina Softić, EDEN (European Distance and E-Learning Network) president
</blockquote>

<h2>Finding ways to get involved</h2>

Take advantage of&nbsp;social media. Find out about relevant learning opportunities and take part in them. For example, I stumbled across an excellent <a href="https://bridge.edu/tefl/blog/webinars/">BridgeUniverse webinar</a> recently on 21st-century skills and was able to connect with teachers and publishers globally. Sometimes these incidental meetings prove to be fruitful and serendipitous.

Don&rsquo;t leave it all up to chance, though. Make your connections intentional.&nbsp;Schedule time each morning, every evening, or whenever you have a few moments, and make it part of your routine. Take 20 minutes a day to browse social media, comment, contribute, and make note of the events that are relevant, interesting, and practical to your teaching.

Connect in person whenever you realistically can. Conversations, laughter, and the hey-I-didn&rsquo;t-know-you-were-going-to-be-here type of run-ins can&nbsp;lead to strengthening relationships in your community. TESL Ontario is having an in-person conference day this fall; the other two days will continue to be virtual. I am eagerly anticipating the in-person connections.

I recall the last TESL Ontario in-person&nbsp;conference, where I found myself&nbsp;sitting by a giant open fireplace and having excited t&ecirc;te-&agrave;-t&ecirc;tes with fellow teachers and administrators. We were deeply engrossed in stimulating conversations, which often included&nbsp;laughter. There was&nbsp;one heated and exciting debate over <a href="https://www.languagehumanities.org/what-is-the-input-hypothesis.htm">Stephen Krashen&#39;s input hypothesis</a>, and there was even an impromptu reflection on Canadian culture mishaps. This all started as a would-you-rather icebreaker&mdash;would you rather come face-to-face with an angry beaver&nbsp;or a mild-mannered moose? I mean, come on!&nbsp;Where else would we be able to ponder these quintessential Canadian dilemmas?

Communities of practice need to be tended, cultivated, and intentionally pursued. Online&nbsp;or in person, teachers need to find&nbsp;ways to refuel, reconnect, inspire, and be inspired. These connections can help improve a teacher&rsquo;s confidence and foster more positive mental health.

<h1>Technology KSAs&nbsp;</h1>

Given the pace of educational technology innovation, teachers and students alike can feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of options available. Who has the time to test out different quiz applications and&nbsp;alternative LMSs&nbsp;or find the perfect forum discussion board?&nbsp;

The recent buzz about AI in education has not gone unnoticed.&nbsp;AI-themed workshops have been offered at recent conferences since teachers now need to grapple with how to deal with this new phenomenon. While <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4468-ai-generated-content">AI-generated content</a> isn&#39;t about to replace teachers, it will have an impact.&nbsp;It&#39;s just too early to know the extent of that impact at this time.

<h2>Tip</h2>

Keep your students&#39; overarching learning objectives in focus. No matter what activity or task you choose, you&#39;ll need to ask yourself how&nbsp;this furthers the real-world learning goal? For example, if you are developing real-world reading skills (such as comprehending information on a university application website), consider using Microsoft&#39;s&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/how-to-use-microsoft-immersive-reader-on-ellii">Immersive Reader</a>&nbsp;to encourage students to engage more deeply with&nbsp;the text, to notice the parts of speech, or even to activate prior knowledge through the L1 translation function.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Be intentional about your technology use. Keep it simple and routine&nbsp;as well as accessible and in line with your learning objectives. Choose one tool per function and use it often.&nbsp;

<h1>Learner-engagement strategies&nbsp;</h1>

&nbsp; 
Online learning offers opportunities for working students, students with young&nbsp;children, students with mobility difficulties, and students residing in remote communities. Reaching these marginalized students has never been more important.&nbsp;For teachers working within a blended learning or fully online environment, however, learner engagement continues to be a stress point.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

What teachers have said to me is that they want to do more than just reach their students.&nbsp;They want to engage them, motivate them, and inspire them to take control of their learning and&nbsp;develop their own learning pathways.

<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/tips-for-developing-students-digital-literacy">Digital literacy</a> continues to be a skill that students need to develop. As I learned at a recent CESBA workshop, many service-providing organizations now have a digital literacy plan in place where digital concerns can be addressed and basic skills built at the outset of students&#39; enrollment in language classes.&nbsp;

But it&rsquo;s a long way from having competent keyboard skills to being an engaged and active learner taking part in classroom activities, discussions, and collaborative efforts. Teachers have noted a kind of<a href="https://elearningindustry.com/is-zoom-fatigue-becoming-serious-threat-for-online-learners"> online learning fatigue</a> setting in, though this could also be applied to in-person evening courses that have students who are busy throughout the day, working and taking care of their families.&nbsp;

<h2>Ideas to help</h2>

Use resources and activities that are interesting, relevant, and useful to your specific group of students. Find stories and articles that reflect <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/that-s-news-to-me">current events</a> and pop culture&mdash;things that people are actually talking about.

<h1>Conclusion</h1>

As a teacher myself,&nbsp;I welcome the opportunity to develop a robust community of practice where we can discuss technology KSAs and learner-engagement strategies. Let&rsquo;s talk about what&rsquo;s working, what we can improve, and what we&rsquo;re excited about. Let&rsquo;s take a note from Emily Bryson and <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/sketchnoting-101-supercharged-professional-development-with-visual-notes">sketch it out!</a> &nbsp;Let&rsquo;s meet in person&nbsp;when we can&nbsp;and further strengthen our connections. Let&rsquo;s challenge each other to refine our teaching methods and stay up-to-date on&nbsp;technology in the language classroom. Let&#39;s look for ways&nbsp;we can help inspire and motivate our students to become the best version of themselves that they can be.

And occasionally, let&rsquo;s meet up for a strong cup of coffee, share a few laughs, and then finally make that critical decision&mdash;would you rather have a chance encounter with an angry beaver&nbsp;or a mild-mannered moose? (The answer, of course, has got to be angry beaver. What&rsquo;s the worst thing a beaver can do?)

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